Monday, October 7, 2013

Stripped by Brenda Rothert

Stripped

by

Brenda Rothert

Pub May 27th 2013

by Author Self Pub

ARC for Review

Abby Gillis is used to being called a promiscuous, uneducated whore. It’s all in a day’s work when you’re a stripper. Since her job allows her to support her siblings, 24-year-old Abby takes it all off in stride. She’s never had trouble keeping men at arm’s length – until she meets ER physician Chris Reneau, who is sexy, sweet and interested in more than what’s beneath her clothes. As their relationship unfolds, Abby becomes increasingly aware of the desire building in her for the first time, and of her yearning to be wanted by the one man who truly sees all of her. Commitment-averse Chris finds himself in uncharted territory. He wants Abby, that’s clear, but he can’t accept not having all of her. As the distance between them erodes, he tries to convince Abby to give up stripping for a chance at something real. As the two of them get closer, Abby realizes that truly baring it all has nothing to do with her body. Chris makes her feel more exposed than she ever has, and she has to grapple with what’s left when her notions about herself and those around her are stripped away, leaving only the naked truth.

The Way Ria Sees It

Bow Chicka Bow Bow! Woo! Abby, Abby, Abby!!! Okay so right away I was like man this girl has is rough! Her life is so hard and she is really really trying to create a better life for her sisters...
Paging Dr Adonis ;)... Chris was so good for Abby I was happy with the way these two characters complimented each other. I zipped through this book soo fast. It wasn’t a life altering read that reached the depths of my soul, but my heart really went out to Abby I wanted to see her happiness and Chris was her perfect fit.

S-tranger, with golden locks will reject and intrigue Abby in a way that has never happened to her.
T-rapped, with a mother thats a leech and hurtful Abby endures so much pain, she feels as though she cant get away.
R-emorse, Abby longs for love and a life that feels out of her grasp. Her job has given her enough money but she feels as though she’s not truly living.
I-nnocent, Abby will do what it takes to protect her sisters by the end of the book she knows exactly whats best for them.
P-ain, Chris feels deeply for Abby but his past won’t let him embrace these new feelings. Although all he wants to do is care for Abby it seems as though he keeps hurting her.
P-ersuasion, after practically begging, Chris convinces Abby to take a trip with him and his friends. This is where these two bare their souls to one and other.
E-nraged After so much pain Abby has had enough. Now is the time for action she will save her sisters.
D-ream, together Abby and Chris can begin to build their happiness after so much pain.

The story was a little choppy I felt like it would jump a bit from scene to scene but other than that I really liked the story. Abby was able to face her fears and overcome the pain that life threw her way.

Stripped by Brenda Rothert was a quick enjoyable read. In this book, we have a nice mix of characters. Abby is an assistant by day and a stripper by night. She is doing everything in her power to give the best she can offer to her mom, sisters and brother. Her job as a stripper has ups and downs like any other job, but she goes through a lot of problems to get the bills paid and food on the table. Chris is a doctor who has commitment problems, but once he sees Abby he wants to change her world and get over all his insecurities. Abby thinks that Chris is the best side of humanity and she is the worst. Chris will work hard to make her change the way she feels about herself.

I liked the match-up in this book. The stripper/doctor combo was a winner in my books! These two got pretty steamy at each other's work ;) Both main characters have issues to deal with and with each other's help they get over those issues. It was a quick romance from the moment they meet at the ER. I found it a bit strange that they did not connect from the start at the strip club. It took me a bit of time to connect with both these characters. I found myself reading the story more than feeling it until we got a bit more details on Chris and Abby's past troubles. After that the story took a more interesting turn. They both had to work hard for their relationship to work and I think that both characters complemented each other very well. I liked the way he handled Abby's stripper job. He was not happy with it, but he stuck by her side and he even gave her a taste of her own medicine.

The other characters in the story were great. Two people stood out the most to me. I loved her sister Audrey! She was one courageous young lady and I loved the way she was dealing with all these difficult situations. She was mature about it. The other character that stood out was Abby's mom ... What a despicable woman! Many times while reading the story I was telling myself.... What the freak is wrong with this Lady?! How can she act like that when Abby is working two jobs to take care of her and her family? She's a really mean person! *Virtual Book Slap*

I did have a bit of trouble reading the story. The scenes did not seem to intertwine very easily. It took me a while to get used to that. I liked the story, but the scenes not really connecting to one another was an issue for me. I liked the way their relationship wrapped up and that Abby and Chris got exactly what they deserved, which was to find happiness and fix their insecurities.

About the Author
Brenda Rothert lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three sons. She was a daily print journalist for nine years, during which time she enjoyed writing a wide range of stories.
These days Brenda writes New Adult Romance in the Contemporary and Dystopian genres.